Tour of the Gila: Armstrong's comeback includes family time

The hardest part of Kristin Armstrong's comeback isn't getting her 37-year-old body back in shape after the birth of her son Lucas seven months ago. Her domination of the Sea Otter Classic last week in Monterey, Calif., proves that.

The hardest part isn't mentally shifting gears after a year away from the sport. The hardest part is the road trips.

"The travel," the 2008 Olympic gold medalist said on the eve of competing in Silver City's Tour of the Gila event, her third since she began her comeback this year. "It used to be easy. I'd pack shorts, tops, shoes, a helmet. Now I have the Pack'NPlay, the stroller, his food. It's a balancing act.

"I have a different focus than in 2008. I remember showing up to race, getting back and lying in my hotel bed for hours. Recovery was a lot easier. Now, traveling with my family, it's a little different. I go to the start line, kiss my son goodbye. I finish and my husband comes up to me and says, 'Here's your son.' "

So what's the easiest part of her comeback?

That has everything to do with Lucas Savola as well.

"I have a bad ride, I come home to the most special family," Armstrong said. "I remember before, I'd have a bad day and I'd think about it until the next good day. Now, good day or bad day, the focus is back on Lucas."

That works well, because throughout an interesting life, Armstrong, no relation to Lance, as always been good at shifting gears.

She began her college career as a runner at the University of Idaho, quit after a year, then worked as the director of Aquatics at a Boise YMCA.

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She became an accomplished triathlete and competed in an Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii before she faced a big curveball in 2001. At the age of 27 Armstrong was diagnosed with arthritis in both hips and told she could no longer run at that level.

"I was ready to give up sports and work a normal job," Armstrong said. "People said I needed to do the bike. I said no, no, no. My arm got twisted and a year later I signed a professional contract."

Her ascent was stunning. By 2004 she was a national champion, and by 2008 an Olympic champion in the individual time trial.

"It was nice to be able to focus on one sport again," she said. "The triathlon is three sports, and trying to manage three sports was so hard."

Armstrong actually attributes part of her success at cycling to her relatively late start with focusing on the sport.

"I think about that and it's a blessing," she said. "When you go through the same sport, you see people leave that sport. Gymnasts and swimmers peak at a young age. You're 20 years old and you're done sometimes.

"I didn't even know cycling was a sport until I was in college. I'm proud of that."

Dominance came quickly, peaking with that special day in 2008 in Beijing, one that took her a while to put in perspective.

"When you're going for something huge, make sure you enjoy the journey because when it happens, it's a blur," Armstrong said of the gold medal. "You don't remember it quite well. You only remember the bad days. It was an amazing feeling, but it took a while to sink in.

"I like to be a normal person. I don't want my legacy to be the gold medal. I want to be a role model for young women."

For her son too, obviously. She retired in 2009 to start a family with her husband Jim Savola. She was also the director for Peanut Butter and Co. Team TWENTY12 last summer when, five months pregnant, she rode in the team car for the Tour of the Gila.

She never closed the door on a return, but it wasn't until last summer when, at her husband's urging, she began to think seriously about a run at the 2012 Olympics in London.

She made her return at the Redlands Classic in California on March 21-April 3 for the Peanut Butter and Co. Team TWENTY12, then dominated last week's Sea Otter Classic, winning three of four stages and the overall title.

"She was back to her old self," said team director Nicola Cranmer. "She was a really great mentor for the younger riders last year. Now she gets to do the same think on a bike."

"It's awesome working with her," said team manager Giana Roberge. "It's such an honor to work with an athlete like Kristin. She's so professional."

The Tour of the Gila is a major event for Armstrong, who especially wants a strong time trial in the third stage Friday that would position her to make the World Championships team (the national champion and either one or two coaches selections make the team).

"The nice thing about the time trial is it's on an open road," Armstrong said. "I'm looking forward to it."

She looks forward to every day now, which doesn't have as much to do with a bicycle as it does with a seven-month-old son.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359.

Armstrong file

Who: Kristin Armstrong.

Age: 37.

Family: Husband, Jim Savola, 7-month-old son Lucas Savola.

Team: Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12.

Highlights: First place, Olympic individual time trial (2008); World Time Trial Champion (2006, 2009); Pan American Continental Time Trial Champion (2005); US National Cycling Champion (2004); US National Time Trial Champion (2005, 2006, 2007).

Race details

What: 25th annual Tour of the Gila.

When: Today through Sunday.

Where: Silver City, N.M.

Details: 11 total categories in men's division, four in women's division.